Leaving Bravely
by demonbrother
Summary: The fall of Konoha's bravest shinobi: Aburame Shino. Rated M for gore, violence


Title: Leaving Bravely

Subject: Naruto

Genre: Tragedy/ Drama

Rating: M (Gore and Violence)

Summary: The fall of Konoha's bravest shinobi: Aburame Shino. (deathfic)

disclaimer I do not own "Naruto"

Ch. 1: Eden

_Shino walked contently through the garden. It was a beautiful sight to behold; exotic flowers and grasses grew from horizon to horizon underneath a calm blue sky, its brilliance interrupted by only the whitest of clouds. The gentle breeze stirred the locals. He couldn't help but grin as he heard the hum of a thousand insects all play out their simple lives in tranquility. In the middle of the garden he saw a beautiful woman with long black hair and a loving smile picking flowers. Shino smiled warmly._

"_Kaa-san!" he ran to her and the woman waved and smiled._

A flash of white light and a booming voice shook Shino.

"Shino! Shino come back to us man! WAKE UP!"

A hand smacked his face and the world came rushing back into existence around him. His eyes snapped open and he coughed and hacked violently, crimson streams filled the air. His eyes adjusted and he found the wild face of his teammate inches away from his own. "K-Kiba?" he said weakly.

"Shino, you gotta stay with us man. Stay awake! You're gonna be okay! Alright?!"

Shino studied his friend. He looked panicked, anxious, and scared. Shino looked around. He was lying on the ground in a clearing surrounded by dense woods. The odor of metal hung heavy in the air; beams of sunlight punctured the canopy and tried to blind him. He noticed that his glasses were cracked. He estimated his location as the outskirts of Konoha Village. He had vague memories of a mission, and then an ambush. Confused, he tried to speak.

"Kiba…what's going…?" He tried to sit up but a sharp pain shot through his chest and he fell back to the ground, gasping for air. "GAHH!!!"

"Shino! Please stay still! Don't move!" cried another voice. "Kiba! Keep pressure on the wound!" She grabbed the Inuzuka's hand and forced it on Shino's chest. She turned to Shino.

The sweet, soft face of Hyugga Hinata came over his own, blocking the sun from his view. She looked worse than Kiba did. She was crying, though it looked like she was trying her hardest to fight the tears back and stay in control. A cut on her cheek was actively bleeding, as were defensive wounds on her hands and forearms, but she paid them no notice.

"Shino? I-It's me-Hinata. We sent Akamaru ahead to get help okay? You're going to be…" she fought back a sob. "You're going to be fine. Okay? So just hold on!"

What was going on?! He was hurt? Shino looked down at himself. Blood. All that he could see were rivers of blood flowing from his body; soaking into the gauze Kiba was pressing against him. "Oh… I remember…" Shino said flatly as he looked to the sky. "I'm dying."

"Don't talk like that Shino. It's not that bad! You're gonna be fine! Right Hinata?! Tell him!" Kiba exclaimed. Hinata nodded hesitantly before continuing to inspect the wound.

"How bad is it?" Shino asked.

Kiba didn't answer.

"How bad?" He asked again.

Hinata bit her lip and said nothing but looked to his right side. He followed her eyes to his torso.

"Oh…damn it…" he breathed bleakly.

From between Kiba's fingers oozed blood so dark it looked black; it trailed down his right side, creating a dark pool of despair. His liver was punctured, he was sure of it; the intense pain and weakness told him that he was bleeding out. He would be dead in ten, fifteen minutes tops. Shino knew it; and he could tell by their faces that Hinata and Kiba knew it too. Shino sighed raggedly and fought back tears of regret. "I-I see."

"Shino…" Kiba's now quaking voice caught Shino's attention. "Shino man…Why'd you have to go and do what you did?!" Kiba half-yelled, half-sobbed. "Kiba!" Hinata reprimanded.

Why? It certainly seemed like a valid question, yet Shino did not know how to answer. Why did anyone do anything? Why does anyone do anything? Is there always an element of selfishness in human actions? Shino had discussed this philosophy with Kiba on many occasions. He stared through his now cracked sunglasses at his similarly broken teammates. He smiled weakly and said the first thing that came to mind.

"Because, you guys are my family. I'd never forgive myself if... I'm gonna miss you guys."

And that started it; Hinata's lips quivered intensely before she broke into wracking sobs. She threw herself onto him; forcing one hand on top of Kiba's to keep the pressure needed to prolong his existence. She buried her face in his shoulder.

"Sh-Shino!" She cried. "I'm sorry! I'm so, **so**, sorry! I did all I could!" Shino could see tears welling up in Kiba's eyes; tears of pain. The pain of knowing that he couldn't do anything to help his best friend.

"It's my fault! It's because I'm weak!" Hinata sobbed. "If I were stronger, you wouldn't have had to save me! You wouldn't be hurt!" Shino felt something drip on his cheek. He looked up to find Kiba crying and shivering silently.

A pang of pain ripped through Shino's body, but what really hurt was his heart. It was wrong to Shino: Kiba crying. He remembered the boy to be staunchly loyal to the "law" that men don't cry. But here he was, sobbing and shaking to his core. Shino knew in his heart that his friend would suffer in silence. He knew that he had to stay strong for Hinata's sake; it would only worsen the situation if he lost his composure.

Shino looked back and forth. His friends, his family; they felt guilty. They blamed themselves for something that was his decision. It hurt him to see them that way. It hurt worse than any blade ever could.

"Both of you…" He wheezed. "Listen to me." Hinata lifted her head; her eyes puffy and red. Kiba refused to open his eyes or relieve the pressure on the wound, but Shino knew that he was listening. Shino slowly lifted his hand to his face and removed the black sunglasses he had become so known for. His eyes squinted in the bright sunlight as he adjusted himself to the light. He looked up solemnly and observed the sky with chestnut brown eyes. Slowly he held out the cracked glasses to Hinata. Hesitantly, she took them and pressed his hand against her cheek, crying softly. "Shino-kun…" she whimpered.

"Hinata-chan…" he breathed raggedly. "You are the sister I never had. Don't ever blame yourself for this. I would protect you no matter what, no matter how strong you were. I'd do that because I love you very much. Never forget that okay?" She nodded and squeezed his hand tightly. She mouthed a response, but no words came out.

"Please, please don't talk Shino." Kiba pleaded. "You have to save your strength! You're going to be okay!" "Kiba…" Shino wheezed; his voice was hoarse and cracked. "STOP TALKING!" Kiba yelled, leaning heavily on the wound as blood spilled through his fingers.

"Words can't describe what a great brother you've been to me. Shino finished. "Don't talk Shino…PLEASE!" Kiba pleaded again. "Tell my father…okay? Tell him what happened."

For a few moments all that could be heard were soft sobs and pained breathing.

Shino slowly stirred; uncomfortable. "What is it Shino?" Hinata whispered. A slight redness appeared on Shino's pale face. "I-um…tell everyone…they were… great. And…Sakura-chan…" Hinata squeezed his hand. "I…I get it Shino. We will." She even managed to crack a smile.

"How…" Kiba said angrily. "How can you be so goddamn calm?! What's the matter with you?!" Hinata only stared, unable to understand her teammate's outburst. "This isn't what's supposed to happen! Our kids are supposed to grow up together! You remember that?! You're only sixteen!!!" Kiba broke into a sobbing wreck. "You're too young…you're not supposed to…you're not supposed to…" He trailed off; as if by not saying that Shino was dying it might not come true. "How…?" he asked, this time quietly.

"Because…" Shino whispered. "…I can rest in the garden with mother again." Tears started rolling down his cheek and the pain in his side was slowly becoming less and less apparent. His time was running out. Hinata kneeled down behind him and cradled his head in her lap, hoping to at least make his last moments comfortable. She held his face in her hands and he looked up at her.

"You're as cold as ice Shino." She stated. "That…can't…be…good." Shino joked. His breathing was now labored and deep.

"You're so brave." Hinata said with a heartfelt smile. She bent her head down and kissed him lightly. Even if he saw her as family, she wanted him to know how she felt. "I love you Shino." She hiccupped. "I love you so much!"

"I…love…too." He replied weakly. "Sh-Shino…?" Kiba whispered. "Hmm?" Shino groaned. "I'm…I'm still sorry." he said. "It's…okay." Shino breathed.

Shino looked up to the blue and cloudy sky. The smell of flowers rushed his senses and he suddenly felt no pain. "Hey guys…?"

"What is it Shino?" Hinata asked warmly.

"…"

"Shino…?"

"Shino_…_?" She asked, barely audible. She looked into his pale, colorless face; his dull, half-open eyes, and his open mouth and panicked. "Shino?! Shino?! NO! NO! PLEASE! Please Shino don't go!!! Don't leave me Shino I need you!!! Please! Come Back! P-l-e-a-s-e…!!!"

Kiba slowly opened his eyes, but he was unable to look at his late best friend. All he could look at were his hands, still pressed against the wound. Already, the blood had begun to clot and Kiba had to practically peel his hands off of the body. They were as dark as night and drenched up to the elbows in Shino's blood. He slowly turned his head until his gaze fell upon two more bodies: the corpses of the Sound shinobi who ambushed them.

"They did this…" he growled, bristling with fury.

Indeed, Shino had dispatched them quickly and painlessly; and in return died slowly, and in insufferable agony. Kiba stood up, the hairs on his neck stood on end.

"He deserved better!" he growled again, hatred and malice in his eyes.

Hinata passed her quivering hand over Shino's face, closing his eyes. She heard Kiba disembowel the first body and her body began to shake. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around her friend. She gripped his broken glasses tightly, the shards cutting her hand. Tears dripped down onto her teammate.

"Goodbye Shino-kun. We love you."

demonbrother: Well, what do you think? This is my first fic on but I have been writing for a couple of years now. I love this site! Pretty sad story huh? If you have any questions just e-mail me. I hope you liked it though. I'll probably be adding a second chapter in the near future. I'm always looking for constructive criticism, but please; NO FLAMES. I hope you find the time to review.


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